


BaleFire

by Pyrofestus



Category: Marvel, Marvel 616, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Cancer, Clint loses $10, Everyone Is Alive, Fire, Friendship, Gen, Lung Cancer, Mutant, No Infinity War, No Slash, OC, Original Male Mutant Character, Steve is a friend, everyone stort of gets along, except Pietro, he is still dead, natasha is a mom friend, oc suffers from mental illness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-13
Updated: 2018-07-16
Packaged: 2019-05-21 18:10:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14920349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pyrofestus/pseuds/Pyrofestus
Summary: Jack Jones was a normal Irish-American until he was diagnosed with lung cancer.Alternatively: Jack Jones's experience as a mutant Avenger.





	1. Bets

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This is my first time posting on AO3. If there are any misspellings, errors, etc. please tell me and I will gladly change it!  
> __  
> Jack's origin story will be in a later chapter!

Jack sighed as he laid on his bed, staring at the blank ceiling of his quarters. Waiting for something- anything- to happen to possibly cure his boredom was like watching grass grow.  
It’s been a good couple of days since S.H.I.E.L.D. had needed his abilities for a mission (because how often are you going to need a mutant who bursts into flames?) causing his mind to be open for a stroll down memory lane and unwanted thoughts to catch up to him. He fiddled with his thumbs, regretting binge watching all of his favorite shows and leaving no future entertainment. The raven-haired man thought about sleeping but then figured that sleeping would only cause his nightmares to haunt him earlier then if he went to sleep during normal hours. Jack groaned, sat up and got out of bed, silently leaving his dorm to enter the living room.  
In the living room already was Wanda and Sam, both eagerly watching two super soldiers compete in an arm wrestling match. Steve and Bucky were pretty much matched in strength causing neither arm to move much. Jack quickly made his way to the group, grabbed a chair and leaned closed to Sam as he sat. “Who bet who?” he quietly asked the ex-air force pilot, causing Wanda to slightly jump in surprise.  
“We don’t really know,” Sam whispered in response. “Wanda and I came in and they were just starting.”  
Bucky glanced in Jack’s direction, taking his focus off the match to hear the conversation, giving Steve the opportunity to gather his strength and quickly push the brunette’s arm to the table. Bucky cursed under his breath and let go of the Captain’s arm.  
A victorious shout mixed with a moan of defeat grabbed Jack’s focus as he turned his head to see Tony smiling and Clint dropped his head to the island. “Pay up.” Tony jeered.  
“You’re a millionaire, I’m sure you can forget about $10.” Clint’s muffled voice spoke.  
“Billionaire,” The proud man corrected. “And it’s not about the money, it’s about winning.” Tony held out his hand to the archer, who begrudgingly pulled a ten from his wallet.

When night fell hours later, Jack tossed and turned in his sleep. Whimpers and whispers crawled from his mouth and sweat glistened on his forehead until it all stopped and he woke up, a scream stuck in his throat. He panicked and looked around, remembering his surrounding and relaxed. His relaxation was short lived however when he saw the red and orange flames eating the carpet. “Shit,” he hissed, getting up and stepping on the flame, smothering it.  
As the hazel-eyed mutant sat back down on his bed, he remembered. He remembered his dream, the memories, the fires, the screams. He remembered the bright light shining in his eyes as shady scientists busied themselves around him. He remembered the tight straps, the numbers, the unrelenting pain. Jack didn’t even notice the tears until one fell on his hand. With a sniff he wiped them away, regaining his composure and turning on the TV, giving up on sleep entirely.

It may sound crazy but he was most at peace on the field. Jack just had to focus on this mission and helping his team. Whether it’s raiding a HYDRA base or defeating evil villains, he could count on the busyness to keep his mind off of things.  
“Could use some help over here, J.” Natasha’s voice floated from the comm, grabbing his attention. Afraid of the red head’s wrath if he didn’t, he hurried over to her position and saw her surrounded by about ten HYDRA soldiers. Jack quickly placed his hand on one the soldiers’ back, burning through the fabric and hearing the sizzle and smell of burnt skin, he then pulled away and punch the back of the man’s neck, squarely on his spinal cord. As the man fell, Jack used his shoulders for balance and swung his leg, kicking a man in the jaw. With a swift movement of his wrists, another man burst into flames before a different soldier captured the mutant into combat.  
The soldier gave a thrust of his fust into Jack’s cheek and his other hand held a knife. Using the momentum of the first punch the soldier slashed Jack’s face, catching the black-haired man off guard. Almost instantaneously, fire erupted from the cut and started healing the flesh like glowing lace. Jack wraps his hand around the soldier’s throat and didn’t let go, even as he felt flesh melt away. The soldier fell and Jack looked up at Natasha who had already fended off the other six and nodded to him in appreciation. His attention shifted when he heard a twig snap behind him so he turned, raising his arm and blasting a wall of heat at the HYDRA soldier, knocking them off their feet. There was yet another soldier coming up on his flank so the black clad spy used Jack’s shoulders as a crutch to catapult her legs at the soldier, knocking him onto his back. Natasha gave him a swift kick to the head to knock him out. His smile was interrupted when he felt a abrupt burning pain in his lower back, knocking him to his knees. His head started swimming, clouding. Jack fell to the ground and the last thing he saw before blacking out was Natasha shooting a hydra agent with her gauntlets. 

He woke up multiple times while they took him to the S.H.I.E.L.D. medical wing, feeling the burning from the healing fire. Each time they put him back to sleep with anesthesia but with his powers, his body burned through it quickly, no matter the dosage. Before passing out once again he spotted the gaping hole aflame on his hip. Jack’s scream fell short when the tranq knocked him unconscious.  
He woke up finally when he was laid in a clear tube. He knew what it was. It was a chamber made specifically for him and his special healing abilities. It made sure the flames erupting in his body got enough oxygen to help heal his wounds all the while making sure he didn’t start any unnecessary fires outside of the chamber. The doctors were told to let his body do his thing without any anaesthesia so it would go faster.  
The doctors tried to ignore the shrieks and blood curdling screams over the years from his body’s unique healing factor, but it was hard, so most doctors brought noise cancelling headphones to block out the sound, with Fury’s permission of course. Once the screams died down and the wound was healed they knew they could take Jack out of the chamber and let him walk back to the compound.  
The first time Peter heard it, he almost started crying because he knew he couldn’t help the older man. It nearly caused Scott to shit his pants and Hope to try and find the source to help the victim. To Jack it was procedure, a downside of being an Avenger, a job he loved. He was glad Fury found his case and decided to bring him to S.H.I.E.L.D.. He loved the days he could save lives and stop the world from ending, not only because he helps people, but it gives him a few seconds of self-acceptance. Even though every time he heals he can feel the fire burning his skin the same time its healing him and sometimes feels like he is dying, he keeps going. Natasha says thats what makes him strong.


	2. The Doctor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some Anti-Mutant Protests, some pick-me-ups, and powers.

After the most recent mission, stopping a terrorist from blowing up Times Sq, he had been met with even more distaste from mobs of anti-mutant supporters. During the mission he had to create a large fire pillar to quickly launch the bomb as high into the atmosphere as the oxygen would allow him, which of course some people saw more as hazardous and risky than brave and heroic. On the news there was another rally protesting him. A man talked into the reporter’s microphone, “We don’t know the extent of his powers. How do we know he won't turn and take down the rest of the city? BaleFire or whatever his name is should be locked up where his powers can’t hurt-...” The tv shut off. Jack turned around to see Steve holding the remote.  
“They’re right, you know.” Jack mumbled, “Hell, I don’t even know the extent of my powers.”  
“I’m going to tell you exactly what I told Wanda after Nigeria,” Steve comforted. “That's not true.”  
“How do you know? How can people rely on my if they can’t trust me?”  
“You can’t control their fear. You just have to live with it and do the best you can to help them through that fear. People are scared of things they don’t understand. The only thing you can do is help them understand.”  
That marked the ending of another pep talk from Steve. One of thousands.

Jack groaned as he looked at his bed. The giant hole in his mattress made from his sleep-flames had woken him up after he fell through onto the floor.  
“FRIDAY?” he called to the AI, breaking the silence of the night.  
“Yes, Mr. Jones?” The voice that sounded scarily human replied, quieter than normal as to not wake the others from their sleep.  
“Please remind Tony, in the morning, to order a fireproof mattress for me this time. I seem to have burned through another one.”  
“That was fireproof sir. Your normal flame temperature is usually 1,220 degrees Celcius or 2246 degrees Fahrenheit, but tonight your flames were approximately 2,190 degrees Celcius or 3,974 degrees Fahrenheit.”  
Those were too many numbers and words to keep up with.  
“In english please?” Jack chided.  
“In summary, your flames are growing hotter when your nightmares worsen. Meaning it is likely the more stress you are put through, the hotter your fire becomes.”  
That he understood, but he didn’t like it.  
“Shall I inform Mr. Stark?” FRIDAY’s voice brought him back to reality.  
“N-No. Don’t wake him. Just tell him in the morning. And make sure he knows I don’t want anyone else to know, besides Cap.”  
Jack sat on the couch for the rest of the night.

“Hey, JJ. Wake up.” Jack hadn’t even realized he fell asleep. He eyes fluttered open and snapped shut because of the bright light.  
“What time is it?” He groaned putting a hand in front of his eyes, blocking the bright light.  
“Time to get up.”  
“Oh, haha, Steve. I’m not getting up until you tell me what time it is.”  
“9am.” Steve’s voice as he poked Jack’s shoulder again.  
Jack groaned, removed his hand and sat up. His back hurt from sleeping on the couch and he was a little sweaty because of the temperature difference from his room and the living area.  
He remembered the night before and instantly regretted waking up, knowing he would have to talk about his growing powers. He was not ready.

They kept arguing with each other on how to take care of his problem. Tony wanted to help him control his flames at night with tech, while Steve thought Jack shouldn’t have to rely on something that could malfunction. Jack stood in the corner, watching and slightly panicking, not knowing how to resolve their argument.  
The two bickering men did not notice Jack slowly growing restless. That is until a giant wall of fire almost singed their eyebrows off and Jack yelled “Stop!”  
Steve and Tony looked over at the mutant and saw him looking at his hand in horror.  
“I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean-..”  
“It’s fine, JJ. It’s our fault.” Steve gave a concerned smile and held out his hand to the black haired man.  
Jack took the super soldier’s hand and raised himself up.  
He had to look up to Steve since Steve was almost a head taller than him and gave a quick smile.

Tony and Steve finally settled with using tech to maintain the heat of his flames at night until Jack got control of it. So while Tony built something to suppress his powers, Jack went for a monthly doctor check-in.  
He walked in the room when he was met face to face with a doctor he hadn’t seen before.  
The doctor was a little shorter than Jack and had a big mane of brown, curly hair. His eyes were soft, almost doe-like, and a sapphire blue, contrasting against his tan skin. His stature was almost feminine and he was pretty skinny but still healthy-looking, like he lived off the top of the food pyramid.  
Oh no.  
He’s cute.

It took a while to control his staring, that is until Doctor Martinez bent over to grab some gloves from under the sink. Next thing he knew, Dr. Martinez’s ass was aflame.  
“SHIT.” Jack shouted as Dr. Martinez shot up in pain. Jack dashed to the fire extinguisher that was mounted on the wall, pulled the pin, pointed it at the doctor and pulled the trigger, causing the white foam to shoot out. The flames went out and fortunately did not eat through the doctor’s pants completely.  
“I am so sorry, Dr. Martinez!” Jack’s cheeks burned a bright red. The doctor looked up at him and raised a brow in question. He almost looked amazed.  
“Mr. Jones-...”  
“Please, call me Jack.”  
“Well Mr. Jack, you’re cheeks are on fire.” Dr. Martinez pointed to Jack’s cheeks and as Jack looked down he could see that his cheeks were, in fact, on fire. He quickly blotted it out with his hands.  
“Uh, sorry. That’s never happened before.”  
Shit.  
This doctor was going to be the end of him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the short chapter! A longer chapter is up next!!!


	3. The Start of Everything

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack's past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promised Jack's backstory so here it is!!!

It all started in Hell’s Kitchen.

Working as an intern at the precinct of one of New York’s most crime-loaded neighborhoods wasn’t easy, but the true horrors started with a small chest pain. Jack waved it off as collateral damage from the greasy burger he had an hour ago from the burger shop two blocks down, but after it persisted and grew for three days he decided it was not and took a trip to the doctor.   
He had accepted the death of his father years ago. Losing his father to lung cancer was one of the hardest things he had to live through. Even after 4 years of acceptance, the news the doctors gave him brought up hidden grief and balled up anger. Jack was diagnosed with a hereditary case of Small Cell Lung Cancer or SCLC.  
He almost went into shock, right there in the doctor office. He was only 19 and due to a rapidly growing tumor in his lung, he only had 17 months to live.   
The doctor frowned in pity and rubbed his grey whiskers anxiously. “There are many paths you can take now.” The doctor sat next to the raven-haired teen, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder as the kid buried his face in his hands. He tuned out the Doctor’s ramble about different chemotherapies and other decisions that he should probably listen to but shock kicked in and everything went to a stand still. 

Jack had lost hope. He had 2 more months to live. No chemo procedure had worked, leaving him out of options except to start his will. At least he would, if he had any family to give to.  
It was snowy night when everything changed.  
He sat on the couch, waiting for his take out to arrive, watching a show about his dream career in Forensics when the pain in his chest changed.   
The burning sensation in the hazel eyed man’s chest grew quickly and in almost seconds the pain grew almost too much. Wobbly, he stood up, gathering all his remaining strength to reach for the phone, knowing something was wrong. Jack’s legs turned to jelly and he fell. He wasn’t in the best of shape, with his sunken cheeks, the dark bags under his eyes, the fat almost nonexistent on his body.   
He tried reaching for the phone, the pain growing and growing. It felt like his body was being eaten by a forest fire. Black spots started dancing in his vision. The last thing he heard was a knock at the door, repeating, growing more urgent before the world turned white and then black.

Doctor Trent sighed. This was the third unknown fire burn that appeared on the patient’s skin. The others didn’t know what to make of it, but after caring for as many mutants as he had in the past few years, he did. This patient was a mutant, whether the patient knew it or not. That’s why he decided to call S.H.I.E.L.D. It was all up to the head doctors and the medical board on if the hospital would turn him over.  
A large clatter and yelp brought his attention from the large stack of papers on his desk. Looking over into the patient’s room he saw a large fire and a cowering nurse in the corner. The Doctor stood and started to rush over when a arm held him back. A whole squad of people wearing black, bullet-proof vests, and helmets with the letters S.H.I.E.L.D. had formed a perimeter around the room door. Two agents were already inside, one blonde man holding a bow and arrow was calming the nurse down to help her get out while the other agent, a red head with multiple guns at her hips, was checking on the health of the black haired mutant and getting him ready to be shipped off to wherever they take dangerous, unconscious, mutants.   
“Doctor Dave Trent, I presume?” a smooth, bold voice spoke behind him. Dave turned to look at the man. He was african-american and wore an eyepatch. He looked like a mix between a businessman and a biker with the way he held himself and how he presented himself.   
“Yes. That would be me.” The doctor laughed nervous, wringing his hands. The man scared the hell out of him.   
“I am Director Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D. I wanted to thank you for turning our attention to this. It's our top priority to help protect the innocent.” Fury did not smile.   
“May I ask why it took so long? The random fires and body burns started the day he got here and I called the very next day?” Mr. Jones had been here in a coma for a week now and they were only now getting here.   
“The board had a hard time believing that the fires and the burns on Mr. Jones had anything to do with his condition. It was only until they decided to do an emergency surgery to assess the size of the tumor did they give him up.”  
What did the emergency surgery have to do with anything?

 

Patient #23B -- Mutant-- Jack Dagen Jones  
Patient has healed from any incision almost instantaneously, a fire engulfs any small cut before healing; 1-2 inch long, .2 inch deep. Takes longer to heal when cut deeper or longer incision.  
Canines have grown 3.01 mm and have sharpened.   
Fire seems to also react with any bare skin that comes into contact. Causes 1st degree burns. Must wear latex gloves. No fire can be seen, patient’s skin becomes so hot it burns others.  
Fires start, not randomly, but when his healing flames on the outside grow too large for the body to contain.

 

Clint watched the multiple scientists and doctors hunched over the patient he now nows is named Jack Dagan Jones. Something about the comatose man unnerves him. The unknown elements to his powers and possible actions the man can cause once awake puts him on guard. Clint knows the mutant suffers from lung cancer, something he was able to hear when eavesdropping on the doctors, and it makes him feel guilty for judging the mutant before he could even wake up and prove himself.   
Director Fury had mentioned saying his specific powers may be useful on the field and he couldn’t help but wonder.

 

The day Jack woke up was just as hellish as the day he fell asleep. People stared at him touching him, prodding him, cutting him. He was being giving too much attention for his liking. He was having trouble breathing, he was hyperventilating.   
“Mr. Jones! I need you to calm down.” A female doctor said, shooing the other scientists away with a violent flick of her wrist. When they complied she pulled a chair over and sat.  
Her aura was quite comforting, causing his panic attack to slightly die down. She smelled of a mix of vanilla and germ-x. Behind her, another doctor approached. He was tall and had a nice head of red hair. His eyes gleamed like sapphires and light freckles dotted his face like confetti. He was really pretty.  
Jack frowned at the thought. He wasn’t gay. All guys had thoughts like that, right? Whatever.  
The female doctor smiled warmly at him. “My name is Doctor Clark and this is my co-worker, Doctor Kurt. You are in the S.H.I.E.L.D. Medical wing. You were brought here after you caused some incidents at the previous hospital you stayed in.” This caught him off guard.  
“Previous hospital?” Jack repeated in confusion before it dawned on him. “How long have I been asleep?”  
Dr. Clark and Dr. Kurt looked at each other before looking back at the man.   
“Not as long as you’re thinking. You’ve only been asleep for three weeks.” Dr. Kurt smiled causing heat to rush to Jack’s cheeks. Jack quickly looks away and looks at his hands, only for Dr. Clark to hurriedly call his attention back up.   
“No no. don’t look down just yet. Look at me.”  
It was too late. Jack’s sight was already fixed in horror on the small flame where a needle poked into his skin. His breathing started to spike again.   
“What is going on?” He yelled. As his breathing grew quicker and his fear started to rise, fire sparked around his hands. Jack quickly pulled the needle out and got up. His legs wobbled beneath him and he started to collapse. Dr. Clark reached to hold him up but stopped when Jack started to scream.   
“Stay back!” He gathered his strength and stood up, still a little weak. Behind him a fire started to grow and began to eat everything in its path. The doctors rushed out of the room but the fire ate away a beam almost as quick as the speed of sound and the entrance fell, capturing Dr. Kurt in with him.  
Jack fell onto the floor and pushed himself into a corner.   
“I’m sorry!” He warbled to Dr. Kurt, who quickly made his way over to him.  
“Hey. Hey. Its ok. I forgive you because it isn’t your fault. It’s not your fault you are like this.” Dr. Kurt slowed down as to not cause the man anymore fear.  
Jack looked into the doctor’s eyes, hot tears running down his cheeks. What Jack didn’t notice was an archer aiming an arrow at him. A sedative.


	4. The Mission

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it was so short! I have been on vacation and haven’t had my computer! I typed this on my phone so please tell me if there are any mistakes.

Jack groaned as he walked into the living room. Laughter filled his ear and he looked up to see Clint, Tony, Sam, and Natasha huddled around a tablet. He already knew what they were looking at. Clint looked up and started laughing even harder, falling down.  
Jack narrowed his eyes at the archer and, across the room, Clint’s quiver caught fire. The purple archer let out a shrill squeak and ran to them, causing Jack to giggle.  
“JJ’s got a crush, eh?” Tony piqued. Jack cursed the man loudly and trudged off to his room.  
Dr. Martinez was really cute. With just one meeting, he was infatuated. He groaned.  
“Come on, Jack. It’s just shock from seeing a cute guy. Get your hormonal mind back on track.” He chided himself. “It’s just a phase.”

It was not a phase.

Dr. Martinez just so happened to be the Field Medic on this mission. Just Jack’s luck. He hated him. At least, he wanted to. That would make it so much easier. He almost wanted to get shot just so he could be treated by him, but the pain wouldn’t be worth something he could just do after the mission.  
The mission was in a small ghost town forgotten by pretty much everyone but HYDRA.  
On the quinjet, Jack caught himself staring at the doctor and made the mistake of lowering his gaze. Quickly he moved his gaze to getting his Nomex®️ gloves on and making sure they were secured. He didn’t want another accident to happen because he was staring too much.  
The mutant managed to avoid the doctor for most of the mission until Dr. Martinez put himself in danger by going mid-battle to help a wounded agent on one of the rooftops.. Sure, he was glad he was helping the agent but if he died no one else would’ve been able to get treatment.  
Jack hissed under his breath as he saw a sniper on the roof across the street of fighting soldiers. He swiftly knocked out the soldier he was fighting and sped to the fire escape, climbing up.  
Adrenaline went on overdrive and he reached the doctor and the wounded agent. He heard the zip of the bullet and he quickly put up a fiery barrier.  
He realized it immediately. But he still shot a ball of fire at the sniper and looked at the doctor.  
“Thank you, Mr. Jones.” Dr. Martinez smiled at him, unleashing a jar of butterflies in his stomach.  
“Please. Call me JJ, Dr. Martinez. It’s my job to protect my team.”  
“Okay JJ. Call me Nico or Nick.”  
Jack grew dizzy. Spots flooded his vision and he fell. Blood pouring from the bullet wound from the bullet he missed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it was 


End file.
